by our College Data Analytics Team
[Political Science And Government](/majors/social-sciences/political-science-and-government/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The schools below stand out for the salaries their political science and government graduates go on to command.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the early-career earnings of their political science and government graduates.
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Below are the schools whose political science and government graduates go on to earn the most.
Simpson College earned the #1 spot for highest-paid political science and government graduates in Iowa. Located in the town of Indianola, Simpson College is a private not-for-profit institution. Political Science And Government graduates of Simpson College earn a median of about $62,268 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at Drake University earned it the #2 place for political science and government. Drake University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Des Moines. Political Science And Government graduates of Drake University earn a median of about $59,948 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in political science and government will find them at University Of Iowa, which ranked #3. University Of Iowa is a public school located in the city of Iowa City. After graduating, political science and government degree recipients from University Of Iowa typically earn about $63,699 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in political science and government will find them at Grinnell College, which ranked #4. Grinnell College is a private not-for-profit school located in the town of Grinnell. Early-career political science and government graduates from Grinnell College make a median of around $60,366 per year.
University Of Northern Iowa produces some of the highest-paid graduates in political science and government, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a public institution. Political Science And Government graduates of University Of Northern Iowa earn a median of about $54,202 a year early in their careers.
Iowa State University earned the #6 position for political science and government graduate earnings this year. Iowa State University is a public school located in the city of Ames. Early-career political science and government graduates from Iowa State University make a median of around $61,481 per year.
Luther College placed #7 among the highest-paying schools for political science and government. Luther College is a private not-for-profit school located in the town of Decorah. Early-career political science and government graduates from Luther College make a median of around $56,840 per year.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries political science and government graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 7 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.